William a



(No Model.)

W. A. LECCO.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER. No. 329,399. Patented Oct. 27, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM A. LEGGO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

lCIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'. No. 329,399, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed August 20, 1881. Serial No. 40,327. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. LEGGo, 0f New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oircuit- Controllers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object I have in view is to produce simple and efficient means for varying or adjusting the proportion of active and non-active movement of the lever of a circuit-controller, which means are applicable both to telegraph keys and relays, and can further be adjusted to maintain normally an open or closed circuit, or to make a double contact at each movement of the lever, so reversing polarity or not, as may be desired. This I accomplish by providing yielding or frictional contact-points, between which the long end of the controlling-lever moves, such contactpoints being adapted to yield to the pressure of the lever, and allow a further movement of the same after contact is made. These yielding contact-points are carried by plate-springs of sufficient stiffness to offer the necessary resistance to make a good contact, and such spring-arms are mounted a certain distance apart upon a sliding block, which is adj usted back and forth by means of a screw. Suitable s `rew-stops are also provided to adj ust the play of the controlling-lever.

In the drawings, Figure lis an elevation of a telegraph-key embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a diagram of a relay also embodying the improvement.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in both figures.

A is the pivoted controlling-lever, which is drawn in one direction by a spring, c, and is limited in its movement by adjustable screwstops b b. At the end of its long arm this lever has suitable platinum contact-points secured thereto, which play between two yielding contact-points, B B. These contact-points B B are made yielding by means of spring-arms The spring- C O', to which they are secured.

arms CG are attached to asliding block, D,and project therefrom, and such block is held and adj usted by means of a screw,E. Now, it will be seen that by adjusting the block D the parts can be arranged so that contact will be made at any desired point in the movement of the lever, the spring-arms yielding to permit the lever to make the full movement allowed by the screw-stops b b. By adjusting the block D the circuit-controller can also be made to maintain normally an open or closed circuit, or to make double contact at each movement of the lever, as will be readily understood, the stops b b being first adj usted t'o allow the lever sufficient movement for the latter purpose.

As a telegraph-key, Fig. l, the controllinglever itself forms the key, and has the ordinary finger-button, c, while when the invention is used in a relay, Fig. 2, the controllinglever may be connected with the armature of the relay-magnet, or the armature-lever may at the same time be used as the controllinglever.

What I claim is- 1. In a circuitcontroller, the combination, with the controlling-lever, of a sliding block to which is secured a pair of springs provided with contact-points,substantially as described.

2. In a circuit-controller, the combination, with the controlling-lever, of a sliding block, a screw for adjusting said block, and a pair ot' springs secured to the block and carrying contact-points, substantially as described.

3. In a circuit-controller, the combination, with the controlling-lever, of a pair of adj usting-screws for varying the play of said lever, a sliding block, a screw for adjusting said block with relation to the lever, and a pair of springs secured to said block and carrying contact-points, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 15th day of June, 1881.

WILLIAM A. LEGGO.

Vitnesses:

WM. H. MEADowcRoFT, H. YV. SEELY. 

